You’ve probably seen the movies. The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Devil Made Me Do It—they’ve basically turned the Warrens into the Avengers of the paranormal world. But Hollywood has a way of polishing the rough edges off reality. If you’ve sat down to watch the Ed and Lorraine Warren documentary on Netflix, specifically the 2023 docuseries The Devil on Trial, you know things get way weirder and much more uncomfortable than a jump-scare in a dark theater.
It’s messy.
The documentary doesn't just lean into the "demons are real" narrative. Instead, it peels back the curtain on the 1981 trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, the first and only time "demonic possession" was used as a legal defense in a U.S. murder trial. Ed and Lorraine were right at the center of it. Some people call them heroes. Others call them opportunists.
What the Netflix Documentary Actually Uncovers
When you hit play on The Devil on Trial, you aren’t getting a highlight reel of the Warrens' greatest hits. You’re getting an interrogation of a specific moment in time. The film focuses on the Glatzel family. Specifically, young David Glatzel, who supposedly was possessed by a beast that eventually hopped into Arne Johnson.
Arne later killed his landlord, Alan Bono.
The Ed and Lorraine Warren documentary on Netflix features real audio recordings from the exorcisms. They are haunting. You hear a child’s voice growling, sounding like something that shouldn't come out of a human throat. But the documentary does something bold: it gives a platform to David’s brother, Carl Glatzel.
Carl isn't buying it.
✨ Don't miss: Why October London Make Me Wanna Is the Soul Revival We Actually Needed
He flat-out accuses the Warrens of exploiting his family for fame and book deals. He claims Ed told the family they’d be "millionaires" if they played along with the supernatural story. This creates a massive friction point. On one hand, you have the "believers"—Lorraine, the Catholic Church officials involved, and Arne himself. On the other, you have a family member claiming the whole thing was a mental health crisis turned into a media circus.
The Warrens: Saints or Salespeople?
To understand why this documentary matters, you have to look at who Ed and Lorraine actually were. Ed was a self-taught "demonologist." Lorraine was a "trance medium." They operated the New England Society for Psychic Research out of their basement in Monroe, Connecticut.
They were incredibly effective at one thing: storytelling.
Critics like Joe Nickell, a prominent skeptical investigator, have spent decades pointing out that the Warrens’ cases almost always followed a pattern. A family is in distress. The Warrens arrive. The activity intensifies. A book deal or movie rights follow. In the Netflix doc, the skepticism is palpable. It’s not just "ghost hunters" running around with PEM meters; it’s a look at the psychological toll of believing your house is infested by the literal devil.
The documentary highlights a specific piece of evidence: a collection of Polaroids. They show David Glatzel during his "fits." To some, they are proof of the supernatural. To others, they look like a terrified kid having a breakdown while adults with cameras stand over him.
Why the 1981 Trial Failed
The "Devil Made Me Do It" defense was a disaster in the courtroom, even if it worked for the box office years later. Judge Robert Callahan wasn't having it. He ruled that "irrelevant and immaterial" evidence regarding demons couldn't be presented. Basically, you can't prove a demon exists in a court of law, so you can't blame one for a stabbing.
🔗 Read more: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
Arne Johnson was convicted of first-degree manslaughter. He served about five years.
What’s fascinating about the Ed and Lorraine Warren documentary on Netflix is how it shows the aftermath. Arne and Debbie Glatzel (David’s sister) stayed together. They believed the story until the end. This brings up a weird human truth: shared trauma, even if the "cause" is debated, creates incredibly strong bonds.
The Controversy of the "Occult Museum"
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or YouTube, you’ve seen the Annabelle doll. The "real" one is a Raggedy Ann doll, not the creepy porcelain thing from the movies. It lived in the Warrens' Occult Museum.
The documentary touches on the commodification of these items.
Tony Spera, the Warrens' son-in-law, has kept the legacy alive, but the museum has faced numerous zoning and legal issues over the years. Some locals in Monroe just want the "spooky" tourists to go home. The Netflix film frames the Warrens' collection not just as a cabinet of curiosities, but as a brand. Every item has a story, and every story has a price tag.
How to Approach the Warren Legacy Today
If you’re going to watch this documentary, or any of the Conjuring universe films, you have to balance two realities.
💡 You might also like: Is Lincoln Lawyer Coming Back? Mickey Haller's Next Move Explained
First, the Warrens were pioneers. They popularized the idea of the "paranormal investigator" long before Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures existed. They brought the language of the Catholic Church into the mainstream. Without them, the modern horror genre would look completely different.
Second, the human cost is real. The Glatzel family was fractured by these events. Carl Glatzel eventually sued the Warrens and the authors of the book The Devil in Connecticut. He claimed his brother David was suffering from mental illness, not a demon, and that the Warrens’ involvement prevented him from getting the actual medical help he needed.
The documentary doesn't tell you what to think. It just lays out the tapes, the photos, and the conflicting testimonies.
Actionable Takeaways for Paranormal Enthusiasts
If you're fascinated by the Warrens or the Netflix documentary, don't just take the movies as gospel.
- Check the Sources: Read the original trial transcripts from State of Connecticut v. Arne Cheyenne Johnson. It’s much drier than the movie, but it shows exactly how the legal system handled the "supernatural" claims.
- Listen to the Skeptics: Look into the work of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). They’ve done deep dives into the Amityville Horror and the Enfield Poltergeist—cases the Warrens were heavily involved in.
- Compare Documentary vs. Drama: Watch The Conjuring 3 and then watch The Devil on Trial back-to-back. Notice what Hollywood adds (monsters, underground tunnels, witches) and what the documentary focuses on (poverty, family dynamics, and legal battles).
- Visit Monroe (Respectfully): If you decide to look for the Warren house, remember it is a private residential area. The museum is frequently closed to the public due to local regulations, so always check official NESPR updates before making a trip.
The legacy of Ed and Lorraine Warren is a mix of genuine belief, clever marketing, and the very human desire to explain the unexplainable. Whether they were protecting families from evil or selling a ghost story to a willing public is a question the Ed and Lorraine Warren documentary on Netflix leaves for you to answer.
Keep an eye on the credits. The real recordings played at the end are often more chilling than anything a CGI team could ever cook up, regardless of whether you believe in demons or just the power of suggestion.